Ingvar Ambjørnsen (b. 1956) is considered to be one of the great storytellers of contemporary Norwegian literature. Since his literary debut in 1981, Ambjørnsen has written a great number of novels, collections of short stories as well as essay collections, and several books for children and young readers.

Over the span of his career, he has won numerous awards, including the Riverton Crime Fiction Prize, the Brage Prize for Best Fiction, the Norwegian Booksellers Award and the Aschehoug Prize. Ambjørnsen has been published in 30 countries. Several of his novels have become successful film and theatre adaptions. The movie Elling, based on Ambjørnsen’s novels Fugledansen (The Bird Dance) and Brødre I blodet (Beyond the Great Indoors), was nominated to an Oscar in 2001. The play Elling has appeared on stage in theatres around Europe to great acclaim.

The Brage Honorary Prize goes to a person or institution who, in their work as a writer, translator or otherwise have made a significant contribution to increase the reach and understanding of literature, or to heighten the quality of the written word in Norwegian. It is one of the most prestigious awards an author can win in Norway. 

Our warmest congratulations to Ingvar Ambjørnsen with this highly deserved and well-earned Honorary Brage Prize 2023!

Photo by Marie Sjøvold